Fall Of A Sparrow
by Kelex
Summary: Lex's angel saves him again. (Clark/Lex)


  
Fall Of A Sparrow--Kel  
  
As soon as Clark's voice came over the plant PA system, Lex knew that Lionel--he rarely thought of the man as Father--had let him come in, not as a hero but as a sacrifice to the sick man's rage. Yes, he had gotten the hostage students out, but Clark had come back. Though he didn't fool himself into thinking it was for him. Clark had come back to help Earl.  
  
Then, Lex had heard--after the fact--that the methane level in the plant had started to fall even as Jenkins had shoved him into the secret elevator. Lionel had known that Level 3 existed. He'd lied to Lex, told Lex that there was no Level 3. And, fool that he'd been, he'd taken Lionel's word and gone into the plant to face down an insane man. And then his damnation had come over the plant PA, the voice of an angel telling the truth that Lionel had hidden to soothe Earl Jenkins' anger.  
  
~ * ~ * ~   
  
And now, my angel is on the catwalk. Looking to Earl, but _at_ me as though he is divining my very soul. My angel. The sole person in this world who I am not afraid of needing. And now I need him to know that I would not lie to him. To others, yes, but never to my angel.   
  
"I didn't know about this place, Clark. You gotta believe me." Staring into my angel's eyes, eternity hangs between us until he answers.  
  
His hand, reaching out towards me but dropping abortively when faced with Earl's rage. "I believe you, Lex."  
  
Words that I desperately need to hear, soothing my soul and my conscience as I feel the catwalk shuddering around me.  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
_Jesus, Lex. Why did you come into the plant? Because we needed you, because your father is a bastard who wouldn't talk to the man he made sick. I had to stay, Lex, I couldn't let anything happen to you._ These are my thoughts as I stare at you on the catwalk over the empty Level 3. You're a good liar, Lex, but you can't lie to me and I know it. You told me there was no Level 3 and you believed it. You're just as much a casualty of the situation as me, Whitney and Earl.   
  
"I didn't know about this place, Clark. You gotta believe me."  
  
"I believe you, Lex." I want to take you into my arms and hold you, reassure myself that you aren't hurt, but I can't. Not in this situation. But I would give my life if I had to in order to protect you.   
  
And then Earl's jitters come, ripping the catwalk apart. I see you fall and I almost give away my secret to you because I want to run to you and take you somewhere safe. But I can't. And then you fall again, and Earl is the only thing holding you up. I have to save you, Lex, I can't let you die. I pull Earl up first and then I pull you up and again I have to fight not to crush you to me. If I hadn't known it before I certainly know it now. I belong to you, Lex.  
  
~ * ~ * ~   
  
As soon as I feel my angel's hands wrapping around mine to pull me up, I know. My life again belongs to my angel and a tidbit of Chinese philosophy that I had once learned comes back to me as our eyes meet. Once you have saved a man's life, you become his Blessed Protector. I saved Clark's life once, but he has saved mine twice over. My life belongs to my angel, and I want more than anything in the world to be worthy of him.  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
Outside the plant, two sets of eyes met. Clark's eyes lifted from the embrace of his mother and father and sought out his friend. Lex was just across the way, on the other side of the temporary command post, stiff and unwilling in the false embrace of his father. Clark gave his mother and father a last reassuring hug, and then disentangled himself from their clinging embrace and went to Lex. He said nothing to Lionel as he came over, but Lex saw him and pulled his way out of his father's arms and went to Clark. They stood half an arm's length apart, both wanting to hold and be held, neither able to.   
  
"Lex."  
  
"Clark."   
  
Just their names, laden with so much meaning. Clark nodded in understanding, and so did Lex. Lionel was handling the press, and the Kents were watching from the sidelines as their boy approached Lex. Finally they did touch, arms wrapping around each other briefly in a friendly, thankful hug. They separated quickly--everything but their eyes. Their eyes remained linked. "Come back to the loft," Clark offered softly. "Stay there tonight, you won't have to deal with the press." _Stay with me,_ his eyes offered.  
  
Lex countered with his own offer. "They'll be camped out at the mansion and your place too, Clark. Come back with me; at least we have security." _It's not safe; stay with me instead,_ was Lex's silent counteroffer.  
  
"Okay," Clark answered. "Let me tell Mom and Dad."  
  
"Bring them too," Lex called softly after him. "You can all avoid the press, and they can go home in the morning."   
  
"Thanks, Lex." Clark disappeared from his side and then returned long moments later--raised voices notwithstanding--with Jonathan and Martha in tow. Lex ushered them all into the waiting limo, and it whisked them away to the Luthor Mansion. Clark sat beside Lex, and the Kents sat across from the two young men, the ride spent in silence. The black limo brought them into the back of the mansion, and they got into the huge castle without being spotted.   
  
A few words and Lex's servants were showing Jonathan and Martha to one of the guest rooms, and Clark followed Lex to his study. He watched as Lex poured two shots of vodka, downing one instantly and holding the other out to Clark. Clark declined with a shake of his head, and Lex downed the second shot as well. Then suddenly, Clark was standing beside Lex, and he found himself crushed possessively against the young man's chest. "I couldn't let you die, Lex," Clark whispered. "I couldn't let you fall."   
  
"I never doubted you for an instant, Clark," Lex responded in his own rough whisper. His hands rested on Clark's shoulders, his fingers playing in the ends of Clark's hair as his cheek rested on Clark's shoulder. "I trust you." The study was lit by the moon, and in the silvered light, Lex slid his fingers through Clark's hair and tugged his head down. Their lips met in the ethereal glow, Lex tasting like the currant-flavored vodka he'd just downed, and Clark tasting like… Clark. The kiss deepened, tongues moving in lazy swirls, and broke only when a cloud drifted across the face of the moon. Lex lay his head against Clark's shoulder, and Clark cradled him protectively against his chest.   
  
~ * ~ * ~   
  
_"Not a whit; we defy augury; there's a special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, 'tis not to come, if it be not to come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come. The readiness is all." Hamlet, Act V, Scene ii, line 230-234_  
  
End  
  


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